Mets’ prized prospect Rosario makes his debut Injuries: Marlins’ Volquez to undergo Tommy John surgery
DENVER » Wearing No. 1, the centerpiece of the New York Mets’ youth movement is now a major leaguer.
Shortstop Amed Rosario joined the team and made his big league debut in Tuesday’s series opener against the Colorado Rockies.
“I’m anxious to see him play,” Mets manager Terry Collins said before Tuesday’s game. “I hope he can relax and just play the game without thinking he’s got to prove too much. He’s an exciting player. He’s got good skills. We saw it in spring training. Now he’s going to get his opportunity to show it.”
Rosario will get every opportunity to lock down the shortstop position as the Mets begin to focus on their future in the last two months of the season. The 21-year-old from the Dominican Republic was given his jersey number by the team.
“I’m so thankful to God for this opportunity,” Rosario said through a translator. “I’m really at a loss for words for this, I’m so, so excited.”
He is the youngest Mets player to make his big league debut since Dilson Herrera played his first game on Aug. 29, 2014, when he was 20.
Rosario was hitting .328 with 58 RBIs at Las Vegas, scoring 66 runs in 94 games. The call-up of the Mets’ No. 1-ranked prospect had been anticipated for weeks, but Rosario said he pushed all the hype surrounding his pending promotion from his mind.
As for a since-deleted tweet that he made a couple weeks ago in which he expressed his eagerness to get to the majors, he said, “I took it down because I think people really misinterpreted it. I think they took it not in the way I meant it. I was just trying to have a little bit of fun, be relaxed.”
Braves call up Albies
ATLANTA » The Atlanta Braves called up infielder Ozzie Albies, one of the team’s top prospects, to start at second base against the Los Angeles Dodgers in his major league debut on Tuesday night.
The 20-year-old Albies becomes the youngest player in the major leagues.
Albies said he didn’t expect the promotion but added “I’m ready for it. I’m always ready for it. I’m excited and ready to play right away.”
Another top prospect, righthander Lucas Sims, also made his debut against the Dodgers. Sims was the team’s first-round pick in 2012.
Albies, a native of Curacao, hit .285 with nine homers, 41 RBIs and 21 stolen bases for Triple-A Gwinnett this season. MIAMI » Miami Marlins righthander Edinson Volquez will undergo Tommy John surgery for the second time Friday, ending his season and potentially his career.
Recovery typically takes 12 months, and Volquez is 34, making his return problematic.
The veteran has been sidelined since July 17 because of a left knee injury, and the elbow issue surfaced during his rehabilitation, Volquez, the opening day starter, went 4-8 with a 4.19 ERA in 17 starts and threw the only no-hitter in the majors this year. BOSTON » Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia has been placed on the 10-day disabled list with inflammation in his left knee.
Pedroia, who leads the Red Sox with a .307 batting average, is on the DL for the second time this season.